Family Portrait
by Blitz Chick
Summary: Oneshot Songfic! Repostage! The story comes up many times in past adventures, but what actually happened the night Bass left his father, his home, and his little sister?


Family Portrait

Song By Pink

From M!ssundaztood 

Starfire sat in the corner, tears pouring silently down her face as she heard Bass and Cossack yelling again. Scrunching her eyes closed, she put her hands over her hearing receptors.

Bass stopped mid-yell when he noted his sister's tears. Softening, the black Navi swept over, kneeling by his only friend, putting his arms around his shoulders.

_Mama please stop cryin'_

_I can't stand the sound_

_Your pain is painful and it's tearing me down_

"Shh…. it's okay Starry…I'm sorry for yelling…"

Cossack seemed enraged by this simple act of kindness. "You see! This is what I'm talking about! All you care about is that stupid little girl! If you keep spending that much time with her your revolutionary power is wasted!"

At this, the blonde Navi's tears poured down anew and Bass turned to his father.

"Useless? You're the one who made her! Who is to take care of her if I do not?"

Starfire looked back up as her brother began to shout again. She hated this…the fighting, the shouting, the long standoffs…

_I hear glasses breaking_

_As I sit up in my bed_

_It told god you didn't mean those nasty things you said_

_You fight about money_

_About me and my brother_

And this I come home to This is my shelter 

"STOP IT!"

All eyes turned to Starfire, who was on her knees, face tearstained. "You fight all the time now! Why can't you two get along?" Her voice lowered. "I love you both…do you know what this does to me…?"

_It ain't easy growin' up in WW3_

_Never knowin' what love could be_

_You'll see, I don't' want love to destroy me_

_Like it has done to my family_

The black Navi realized what he had been doing to his dear sister this whole time. _How could I have been so selfish?_ He wondered, seeing the tears glistening in the blue eyes gazing up at him.

_Can we work it out?_

_Can we be a family?_

_I promise I'll be better_

_Mommy I'll do anything_

_Can we work it out?_

_Can we be a family?_

_I promise I'll be better_

_Daddy please don't leave_

Cossack was quiet as well, but he did not soften like Bass did. With a small huff, he disconnected the link.

Kneeling by his sister's side, Bass wiped away a tear. "I'm so sorry…"

_Daddy please stop yelling_

_I can't stand the sound_

_Make mama stop cryin' _

'_Cause I need you around_

Sniffling, Star's lip trembled as Bass lifted her onto his back piggyback style. Wrapping her arms around, Star hurriedly moved them as she brushed Bass's chest. "Sorry…" She whispered.

Breathing heavily, Bass smiled. "It's not your fault…you didn't give me this injury." He said, referring to the cut he had gotten across his chest a few weeks ago. It was still tender and was wrapped in white bandages.

_My mama she loves you_

_No matter what she says is true_

_I know that she hurts you_

_But remember I love you too!_

"Brother…are you going away again?"

Bass sighed; having known this would come up. It had after every argument since his accident. "I don't know…"

Pressing her face against the back of Bass's neck, Starfire closed her eyes tightly. "Please don't…. I love you too…

_I ran away today, ran from the noise_

Ran away 

_Don't wanna go back to that place_

_But don't have a choice, no way_

The duo reached the room they shared, complete with bunk beds. Lowering his sister onto his bottom bunk, Bass sat beside her. "I just…I don't think you should grow up with this Starry. If I go away, things will be normal again."

Starfire was quiet, looking at a picture on the wall. It had been taken just a few weeks before Bass's accident and everyone looked very happy.

_It ain't easy growin' up win WW3_

_Never knowin' what love could be_

_You'll see, I don't' want love to destroy me_

_Like it has done to my family_

Bass followed her gaze and chuckled. "That's how things should be, huh?"

Starfire nodded. "Why can't we just pretend that this is how it's always been and going to be?"

_In our family portrait_

_We look pretty happy_

_Let's play pretend; let's act like it comes naturally_

Sighing, Bass shook his head. "Nobody would believe it. They know what our family is like."

Wiping her eyes, Starfire looked up at her sibling. "I don't want you to leave! I don't want another sibling but you!"

_I don't wanna have to split the holidays_

_I don't want two addresses_

_I don't want a stepbrother anyway_

_And I don't want my mom to have to change her last name!_

As dusk morphed into night, Bass stayed by his sister's side, staring a picture of them, taken just a few weeks before the accident, around the same time as the family portrait. Glancing at Star, who was asleep beside him, Bass stood, reaching under the bed to pull out a large box. Opening the lid, he found a small square of white paper with Star's neat handwriting on it. Cautiously, he picked it up and began to read.

'Bass, I found this the other day while you were off showering. I guess this means you're leaving soon. Well, it had to happen sooner or later. My promises to Cossack would never satisfy him anyways.'

_Mama I'll be nicer_

_I'll be so much better_

_I'll tell my brother_

_I won't the spill the milk at dinner_

_I'll be so much better_

'Just remember while you roam out there…I love you. As your little sister, I always care no matter how annoying you are.'

Looking at his sister, Bass smiled sadly. _Poor girl…I swear, one day I'll come back for you. I promise you._ Unwrapping the bandages around his chest, Bass stared down at the scar that extended diagonally from the right side to the left side of his chest, Throwing the brown traveling cloak about his shoulders, Bass put the box on his bunk and perched on the windowsill, looking back for a moment.

_I'll do everything right_

_I'll be your little girl forever_

_I'll go to sleep at night_

_Daddy don't leave…. daddy don't leave_

With a confident smile, the black shadow leapt down into the adventurous night.


End file.
